Where to buy a sandblasting pot please?

[frenchja]

Hi Guys,

I am new to the forums, though been reading through them for a while now I have just started the restoration of my VW camper and looking to buy a sandblaster to clean the underneath up before primer.
At the moment I have the use of a farmers big compressor, I don't know any details about it, but it works From what I have read a 20 Gallon pressurised blaster pot would suffice and I have source garnet blasting media near by for about £25 a 100kg. I have been looking on ebay and there doesn't seem to be many selling and wondered if this one would suffice or are there other sources?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190342072564&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I will also need to purchase a water trap/regulator again any suggestions where please? Machine mart OK?

I appreciate any help as I am a newbie and finances and time are tight.

Take care,

J

 

[rtbcomp]

Welcome to the forum.

That's the one I use and it's very good. Machine Mart also sell a 10 gall version.

There is quite a bit of info here:-

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15735

Several people on here have made their own, try searching the forum.

 

[frenchja]

Hi and thanks I think I will go for the one on ebay as I did search through the forums previously, hence finding ebay item, but not from the suppliers suggested. As I am doing a whole chassis I think I will go for a 20 gallon, saves me refilling as much I suppose.

I will have a read through the links many thanks

Take care,

J

Welcome to the forum.

That's the one I use and it's very good. Machine Mart also sell a 10 gall version.

There is quite a bit of info here:-

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15735

Several people on here have made their own, try searching the forum.

 

[stormin]

What size is the farmers big compressor?
For reasonable progress on a large item like a chassis you will want to be using a road towed compressor with in excess of 100cfm air output.
Problem with the ebay pots is they are designed for use with "small" compressors and come with appropriate nozzles 2.5mm and 3mm. You'll need to source larger nozzles to suit the big compressor and speed up the work.
Also if underseal has been applied before you'll really need to get scraping it off before grit blasting.

 

[brightspark]

as storming says a 3mm nozzle is quite small. the largest grit size for that jet is j blast superfine 0.2 to 0.7mm . the comp would need to be .28cfm delivery to keep presure at 90psi . the next size up is a 6mm nozzle which would run on minimum 90cfm compresor using j blast 0.2 to 1.5 mm grit .at 90psi. any lower in presure would slow the cutting power of the grit by half and double the amount of time taken

 

[frenchja]

Not a clue, but it is big and used by others for commercial spraying and air tools. I have used it for sand blasting on a smaller scale with success, so we will see If not I will have to buy a 3.5hp single phase compressor from machine mart The chassis is all a mix of new and old metal and stripped of all nasty things, its a long story about this camper but the short is new metal was put in years ago and left to stand. What I have done a stripped looks great.

I am wondering whether to get the 10 gallon one from machine mart as I can pick it up and get spares more easily, any other views? How much would a 10 gallon hold of grit?

cheers guys. Still trying to find the JBlast supafine locally, but have found Garnet!

Thanks all

What size is the farmers big compressor?
For reasonable progress on a large item like a chassis you will want to be using a road towed compressor with in excess of 100cfm air output.
Problem with the ebay pots is they are designed for use with "small" compressors and come with appropriate nozzles 2.5mm and 3mm. You'll need to source larger nozzles to suit the big compressor and speed up the work.
Also if underseal has been applied before you'll really need to get scraping it off before grit blasting.

 

[rtbcomp]

The 10 & 20 gall pots are identical (apart from the size!)

There are details of converting to a tungsten carbide nozzle on here somewhere.

The only other parts you'll need are standard components, apart from the mixer, which can be replaced with a standard T-piece.

 

[M@tt]

heres one i made DIY stylee, works really well off my 150l 3.5hp compressor

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15311

 

[frenchja]

cool cheers. Not sure if there are any disadvantages going for the 20 gallon apart from may be a bit bulky for lighter work?!

The 10 & 20 gall pots are identical (apart from the size!)

There are details of converting to a tungsten carbide nozzle on here somewhere.

The only other parts you'll need are standard components, apart from the mixer, which can be replaced with a standard T-piece.

 

[split999]

This is exactly what I have just done!!

In fact it could have been my user name up there in place of yours.

Basically in short...DONT BOTHER trying to blast the chassis yourself with one of the 20 gall pots. That's what I did. Bought the pot...great little thing ideal for small work and using with a cabinet. Used the kiln dried sand...great worked a treat, but dont forget to seive it!!.. Ive got a 3hp 150l comp and it was flat out!

It took me approx 3and half hours to do between the chassis rails just under the seat panels (approx 2ft sq!!). Remember, when you expose the bare metal you need to treat it with a primer immediately. By the time youve worked your way round with a 20 gall pot, you'll have to start to remove the flash rust from where you started!!

I saw sense (after I spent the money!), and got a mobile sand blaster chap round to do my bus (VW Camper). He charged £200, took him approx 3 hours (underneath and engine bay only), and he blew all the sand off for me so I was ready to apply my epoxy primer.

A word of warning if you take my advice. IT'S REALLY MESSY!! Do it outside if you can. They don't reuse the sand...just leave you to clear it up! But it was worth every penny. Oh by the way, my bus was on it's side in a rotisserie I made. Would have taken him longer and far more agro had it been on all fours.

If you read this before buying the pot...it's deffo the way to go IMHO.

Good luck

 

[frenchja]

cheers guys. After finding out machine mart have production issues I enquired about getting it sand blasted. Found a firm that will sandblast and etch prime the whole underneath for about £250 Just have to get it down there now!

thanks all

 

[rtbcomp]

,,,,,,,,machine mart have production issues ...

They launched this thing about a year ago under the Rolson name and withdrew it then and now the same with Clarke!